Office-indicator.



Patented Sept. Il, |900.

No.A 657,834.

c. F. RUTTMAN.

OFFICE INDICATOR.

(Application flel July 5, 1900.)

(No Model.)

TN: Nonms Finns co, PNoTo-uwo..rwasH|NoYoN. n. c.;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. RUTTMAN, OF VALPARAISO, NEBRASKA.

OFFICE-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,834, dated September 11, 1900.

Application filed July 5, 1900.

10 a/ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. RUTTMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Valparaiso, in the county of Saunders and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Office-Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in cnice-indicators.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of cnice-indicators and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one designed more especially for physicians use and adapted to indicate whether a physician or other person is in or out and, if out, where he may be found.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character adapted to be readily operated to display the desired information and capable of being rmly held when set,so thatit cannot accidentallychange its position.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of an indicator constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the adjustable dial.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates an adjustable or rotary indicator-dial arranged within a casing 2, which is composed of a circular back plate 3 and a front or faceplate 4, having its body portion offset from the back plate and provided with a sight'aperture 5, by means of which a por tion of the indicator-dial is exposed. The circular front or face plate is provided with a iiared peripheral portion 6, havinga peripheral liange 7, L-shaped in cross-section and fitting against the front face and edge of the back plate and secured to the same by fastening devices 8, consisting of screws, which also serve to fasten the device to a suitable support. The back plate is provided with a central rounded stud or pivot 9, extending outward and receiving a hub 10 of the adlerial No. 22,626. (No model.)

justable indicaordial, which is provided with a central opening, and the hub l0,which extends outward from the opening, is tubulaiand projects through a central opening ll of the front or face plate of the casing. The outer end of the hub is exteriorly threaded to engage interior threads of a cap 12, forming` a knob by means of which the indicator-dial is operated. The knob, which is preferably provided with a milled edge, may be secured to the hub in any other suitablemanner, and it is adapted to be readily grasped by the operatorto set the dial,as hereinafter explained.

The front or face plate of the casing is provided at the sight-aperture with a transparent plate or pane 13, of glass or other suitable material, and the dial is provided with an annular series of spaces 14, adapted to bear the information designed to be displayed, and this information is preferably applied to the dial by means of cards, so that the same may be changed as desired.

The dial is provided with an annular series of openings 15, located opposite the annular series of spaces and located at points between the same and the hub and adapted to receive a pin or projection 16, extending from the inner face of the front or face plate and rigid with the same, whereby the dial is securely held in its adjusted position. The dial is maintained in engagement with the projection 16 by a coiled spring disposed on the stud or pivot and interposed between the said dial and the back plate 3. The spring 1S is adapted to be compressed by forcing the knob inward to permit the dial to be disengaged from the pin or projection to enable the said dial to be rotated to bring any one of the annular series of spaces opposite the sight-aperture. The dial is spaced from the front plate by means of a washer-19, interposed between such parts and adapted to prevent the dial from coming in contact with the transparent plate. The washer 19 is disposed on the hub, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, and the dial is adapted when the knob is depressed or forced inward to be carried from the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 2 to that shown in dotted lines.

It will be seen that the indicator is exceedingly simple and in expensive in construction, that it is adapted to contain a large amount IOO of information, and that it is capable of ready adjustment to display parts of the same and will be found of great advantage both to the owner and those having business with him.

What I claim isl. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a sight-aperture and pro vided with an opening, a projection located within the casing and extending rearward from the front of the saine, a pivot project.- ing from the back of the casing, a dial having a hub arranged on the pivot and extend'- ing` through the opening of the casing, said dial being provided at intervals with openings to receive the projection, and a coiled spring disposed on the pivot and interposed between the dial and the back of the casing, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a casing having an opening and provided with a sight-aperture, a transparent plate arranged at the inner face oi the front of the casing at the sight-aperture, a projection located Within and rigid with the front of the casing, a stud forming a pivot and extending from the back of the casing, a dial having openings to receive the pin and provided with a hub arranged on the pivot and extending through the opening of the casing, a knob sccured to the hub, a washer arranged on the hub and interposed between the dial and the front of the casing, and a coiled spring arranged on the pivot and engaging the dial, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. RUTTMAN.

lVitnesses:

J. PETERMICHEL, F. J. PETERMICHEL. 

